


Sent Away

by SemperAeternumQue



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Arguing, Drama, Dysfunctional Family, Elros is peak teen angst, Families of Choice, Family Drama, Family Meetings, Gen, Poor Elrond, Poor Elros, Teen Angst, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 07:45:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18734686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SemperAeternumQue/pseuds/SemperAeternumQue
Summary: Maedhros and Maglor break the news that they are being sent away to Elros and Elrond. Predictably, they don't take it well.





	Sent Away

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! So this is my third work, and I think I'm starting to get the hang of this.This is a different version of how Maglor and Maedhros leave Elros and Elrond than I usually write with, but I figured I'd post it anyways. 
> 
> Once again, I welcome any and all feedback! Kudos, comments, constructive criticism, flames, anything!

The twin boys sit directly across from Maglor and Maedhros, staring them down intently. Elros looks defensive, with a slight glare. Elrond seems more thoughtful, but his gaze is no less intense. Maedhros would be nervous if he had not faced far greater adversaries than these two children.

Beside him, Maglor shifts nervously under the twins’ stares, and Maedhros nudges him once in reassurance. For a while, no one speaks and the only sound is the wind whistling past the chimney.

Maglor fidgets again, and Maedhros pats his younger brother’s hand. Elrond tilts his head curiously at them both, his gaze seeming to see right through Maedhros. “You said you wanted to speak with us, atar?”

“Indeed.” Maedhros responds. He manages to keep calm as he tells the twins, “We are sending you away.” As he has expected, both twins look outraged. “No!” Elros says. “Why?” Elrond asks, his face absolutely calm. Maedhros mentally prepares himself for the onslaught. “It will be safer. There is a war going on, and I want you two to stay out of the fighting.”

“We’re of age!” Elros protests. “By mannish standards.” Maedhros corrects. “By elvish, you won’t be of age for a while yet.”

“I want to fight!” Elros exclaims. Elrond is utterly silent, which never bodes well. Sure enough, he looks up at the Feanorian brothers with betrayal-filled grey eyes. “Why can’t you keep us?” Maedhros struggles for words. “We need to keep you safe.”

“We are safest with you. We trust you.” Elrond insists.

Never has Maedhros been rendered so utterly helpless by just two sentences. “Boys, we can’t protect you well enough.”

“And Gil-galad can?” It is Elros who asks this, with all the snark of a rebellious teen. Maedhros sighs. Everything about this is a nightmare. “Boys, please. We need you to be safe.”

“We will be safest with you.” Elrond insists again. And around they go.

Nearly two hours later, Maedhros is very, very tired of arguing with twin boys who are far too stubborn for their own good. The argument has gone somewhat like this:

“Boys, you need to stay safe.”

“We are safest with you!”

“We can’t protect you.”

“And Gil-galad can protect us?”

“He can protect you better than we can!”

“It’s like you said. We’re in the middle of a war. Nowhere is safe.”

“You will be safest with Gil-galad, and I need you to be safe.”

And back around they go. They’ve been going in circles for nearly two hours, and Maglor has been zero help. Maedhros knows he is more reluctant to let the boys go. “But we’ll be safe here!” Elros protests again, and Maedhros snaps. “No, you will not! The Enemy will concentrate the most on us! We will be in the thick of the fighting! You are going to Gil-galad, and that is final!”

“Fine!” Elros shouts. He throws the nearest object, a fork, at Maedhros, and storms out.

There is a long moment of silence, broken only by soft weeping from both Maglor and Elrond. Maedhros reaches out to try and comfort Elrond, but the young peredhel shies away and runs after his brother.

Maedhros swears and collapses into a chair. “That couldn’t have gone any worse.” Maglor hiccups in agreement and Maedhros put his head in his hands. “Why did we raise them to be so independent, Kano?” Maglor doesn’t respond, which is just as well. Maedhros does not know what he’d say.

After a while, Maedhros sighs and decides he’d better go at least try to talk to Elrond and Elros. He rises from the sofa. “I’m going to try and talk to the boys, Kano.” Maglor doesn’t move, so Maedhros makes his way up the perpetually drafty stairs and onto the landing outside the boys’ room. “Elrond? Elros?”

“Go away!” Elros yells, but Maedhros pays no mind. He pushes open the worn wood door to behold the scene inside. Several pillows are thrown around the room, probably courtesy of Elros. Aforementioned boy is on his feet, pacing angrily. Elrond is sitting on his bed, eyes downcast and defeated, and Maedhros squashes down guilt. “Hey.” Elros rounds on him angrily. “I said, go away!”

“Let him stay.” Elrond says, quiet as ever. He does not look at Maedhros, but at least he let Maedhros in.

Maedhros settles down on the bed next to Elrond, hearing the familiar creak of the bedsprings. “I’m sorry, boys. I just want to keep you safe.”

“Well what about keeping us happy?” Elros demands. It takes everything he has not to flinch. “If it means you’ll be safe, I’m willing to sacrifice a little happiness.” Maedhros says. Elrond turns to look at him with those eyes, far too sad. “Why can’t we stay? Do you not want us?”

“No no no, yonya, that’s not it at all!” Maedhros exclaims. We love you very much, so we want you to stay safe.” He rushes to explain.

“But we want to stay with you.” Elrond says, as if that will somehow convince Maedhros to let them stay and face the dangers of being with the Feanorians.

It affects Maedhros more than he would like to admit, but Maedhros, unlike Maglor, is not an emotional train wreck. So he bottles up those feelings and tells his son “You will have to leave us.” He does not bother promising that the twins will see Maglor and Maedhros again, because he does not make empty promises.

Elrond seems to note this lack of a promise, and he crumples into himself a little. Maedhros forces himself not to crumple in equal measure. “I’m sorry.”

An apology is all he can offer them now.

**Finis**

**Author's Note:**

> Quenya translations because I'm an idiot and forgot to add these when I put this up:
> 
> Yonya = my son


End file.
